Justice Reviews ATF Firearm Cases in Nevada Rift

A federal agent and U.S. prosecutor from outside of Nevada are taking a second look at ATF firearm cases the U.S. Attorney's Office in Reno dropped over the past year.

Acting Assistant U.S. Attorney General Judith Appelbaum says the Justice Department continues to investigate an alleged rift between federal prosecutors in Reno and agents for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

The Reno Gazette-Journal reports that she told three Congress members in a letter on Friday that in the meantime the Justice Department is reviewing eight cases ATF had prepared but the U.S. attorney declined to prosecute.

Sens. Dean Heller of Nevada and Chuck Grassley of Iowa aren't satisfied. They are pressing for an explanation of how the animosity between the agencies was allowed to fester so long.